Relay For Life…or a few years, in Queensland: Episodic volunteer retention in the cancer control context (#1042)

Non-profit organisations involved in cancer
control mobilise thousands of episodic volunteers (EV) to participate in
community events such as Relay For Life, a global movement founded by the
American Cancer Society, to raise vital funds for research, prevention,
education and support services. Problematically,
although EVs are crucial for cancer control, theory-based research on EV is
scant and the determinants of EV not well understood.

Aim:

Accordingly, this study draws on two traditional
volunteer retention theories (volunteer process model and three stage model of
volunteers’ duration of service) to explore the determinants of EV retention in
Queensland Relay For Life events.

Based on their duration of service, EVs were
classified in Novice (first experience; 24%), Transition (volunteered 2-4 years
sporadically; 46%), or Sustained (volunteered 5-6 years consecutively; 30%) phases.
There were no significant differences in demographics across phases except
Sustained EVs were older; owned their own home/paid a mortgage; and reported
more familial connections (parent/s, partner, sibling/s) diagnosed with cancer,
than EVs in other phases. Social/enjoyment
(β=.17) and benefit (β=-.15) motives, social norm (β=.20), and satisfaction (β=.56)
predicted Novice EV retention; satisfaction (β=.47) and commitment (β=.38)
predicted transition EV retention; and supporting the organisation financially
(β=.31), social norm (β=.18), satisfaction (β=.41) and commitment (β=.19)
predicted sustained EV retention. Demographics did not predict retention.

Conclusions:

Three
phases of volunteering were confirmed each with a specific pattern of
antecedents and experiences predicting intention to continue volunteering in future. A dynamic model of volunteering behaviour
that allows for the evolution and development over time of different volunteer
typologies with distinct characteristics was supported.